Electric socket



' Nov. 8, 1938. J. M. ROPER ELECTRIC SOCKET Filed Aug. 4, 1936 |HVE NTOR By OHN M. POPE? ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE John no. Applicatioi; i,(No. 94,182 I (Granted under theact of March 3, 1883, as

' amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) This invention relates to a single contact electric socket and has for an object to provide improved electrical sockets especially useful on aircraft, both of the lighter and heavier than air type, where the economy of space and weight are desirable features.

A further object of this invention is to provide an electrical socket especially adapted for holding electrical lamps of the bayonet joint type for use on vehicles of all descriptions, both vehicles used in the air, on the ground, on the water, and under the water.

a further object of this invention is to provide a lamp socket occupying a minimum amount of 16 space and weight which will be especially useful on vehicles such as aircraft, and more particularly, on the wing surfaces and edges, so as to receive and hold a lamp in such positions without seriously affecting the. aerodynamic charac- 20 teristics of the wing surfaces.

A still further object of this invention is to provide asingle contact lamp socket in combination with a metal covered conduit cable wherein the metal cover on the conduit cable acts as a ground :5 or return lead for the circuit.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an electrical socket wherein the contactor terminal is yieldably held against the lamp terminal and the necessity for a surplus amount of wire 20 normally present with yieldable contacts is eliminated as a result of the improved features of this invention.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an electrical socket in which the lamp is I6 flxedly secured and in which the terminal end of the conductor cable is yieldably. held by a compression spring acting between a terminal insulation member and an inturned flange on the socket. do With the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be described more fully hereafter. r

In the drawing: 45 The single figure is a sectional view of the invention. A

There is shown at I l! the electrical socket of this invention. This electrical socket includes a socket member ll shaped-preferably as shown, 0 having bayonet slots l2 to provide for the reception of the base of a conventional single contact electric lamp IS, the lamp it having its con tact as at I. The lower end of the socket II is intumed as at I5, and through the socket H ex- I tends the conduit Ii for the conductor cable I! having the stranded wires l8 therein. A ferrule I! having an outwardly extending flange 20 is secured on the upper end of the metal cable conduit IS. The stranded wires II are soldered as at 2| into a terminal 22, the terminal 22 being formed on an insulating collar 23, it being observed that the cable I! and stranded wires l8 extend through the center of the collar 23 and that the diameter of the collar 23 is such that it will just snugly and slidably fit within the socket 10 II. A compression spring 24 placed between the inturned flange l5 of socket II and the flange 20 of ferrule l9 urges theinsulating collar 23 and terminal 22 against the lamp contact I.

The invention thus constructed is extremely 16 light in weight and at the same time occupies only a minimum of space, which features are extremely desirable when used on aircraft. When used in running lights, as on wing surfaces,

' the lamp is held close to the wing surface to cause 20 a minimum of interference with the aerodynamic characteristics thereof.

As an exempliflcation ofthe manner in which this invention is applied, the socket II is provided with-an outstanding collar 25 provided with 25 a shoulder, as at 26. A nut 21 passes over the collar 25 and holds a globe reflector foundation 28 thereon by means of the threaded neck 28 extending therebelow, the neck 29 being provided with a kerf 30 fitting over a key 3| so as 30 to properly position the foundation 28 against rotation.

A reflector 32 is snapped over an internal neck 33 of the foundation 28 while a globe 34 is threaded into an external neck 35, a cushioning 35 washer 36 being provided for the globe 34 to seal thereagainst. Lamp sockets with flxed conductor terminals and yieldable lamp terminals have been used for aboveflpurpose, but it has been found that the vibration thereof induced during flight caused the contacts to wear away so quickly that the lamp soon fails to light. With the arrangement of thisinvention, however, such objectionable vibration has been eliminated.

Other modifications and changes in the proportions and arrangements of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature and scope of the invention,

as defined in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Governmentof the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties, thereon or therefor.

of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. An electric lamp socket comprising a socket member having an inturned apertured flange at one end thereof, the other end of said socket being provided with lamp base seeming means, an

' electric cable conduit extending through said apertured flange into said socket, a ferrule secured on the end of said cable conduit within said socket, said ferrule having an out-turned flange at the end thereof, ,a compression spring located between said ferrule flange and said in- I turned socketflange, an insulating member resting against said ferrule flange, a conductor cable extending through said cable conduit and into said insulating member, and a cable terminal extending above said insulating member, said 'cable being secured to said terminal within said insulating member, whereby said cable conduit is yieldably secured to yieldably press said cable terminal against a lamp contact in the lamp base adapted to be held at the lamp end of the socket, said cable including an insulation covered stranded conductor wire extending therethrough, the end of said conductor wire being solderedwithin Said terminal.

2. An electric lamp socketlcomprising. a socket Having thus set forth and disclosed the natur member having an inturned apertured flange atone end thereof, the other end of said socket beingprovided with lamp base securing means, an electric cable conduit extending through said apertured flange into said socket, a ferrule secured on the end of said cable conduit within said socket, said ferrule having an out-turned flange at the end thereof, a compression spring located between said ferruleflange and said inturned socket flange, an insulating member resting against said ferrule flange, a conductor cable extending through said cable conduit and into I said insulating member, and a cable terminal exintegral part thereof.

JOHN M.' ROPER! 

